Car Insurance – New Style Policies Cut The Cost
Michael Challiner
Get ready for an avalanche of “new style” car insurance policies to hit the market. One of the first insurers to enter the fray is Tesco, with the announcement of its new “no frills” policy. Where Tesco leads, others will swiftly follow in their search for new customers.
The AA doesn’t seem too impressed with Tesco’s offering, saying that the excess is really high and if you look around you could buy the usual fully comprehensive for the same price. Taking the opposite stance is Norwich Union who believes that other insurers will compete with simple, non-gimmicky, cover. Getting ahead of the competition, they have been watching the patterns of 5000 motorists over a two year period and they are starting to offer new policies based on their research.
Both of these insurers will aim to keep at the top of the “Best Buy” tables and the resulting competition between insurers to keep the premiums low and gain the business will be interesting to observe.
What is it that’s so different about these new policies?
First of all there’s Tesco’s new “Value” car insurance. This is a type of “hybrid”, coming higher in the scale of cover than basic third party but stopping short of the more usual fully comprehensive. For example, if your car is off the road, you won’t get a courtesy car, it doesn’t cover young drivers and at £475, the excess is much higher than usual. Your no-claims discount will not be protected and if repairs are needed these can only be carried out by designated garages. Normal guarantees on repairs are three years, but they have reduced this to only 12 months. If you can accept these restrictions, Tesco say there will be a saving of 12% on its standard cover. Another proviso is that you must buy cover on-line.
On offer from Norwich Union is a young driver’s policy. Not available to new customers for the time being, customers are charged according to their driving patterns. It has been found that younger drivers have a higher likelihood of accidents at night and so there is a charge of £1 each time they drive between the hours of 11pm and 6am.
Direct Line, not to be outdone, has similar new products coming on to the market.
It all sounds slightly confusing and you have to consider what you’re missing out on in the way of cover. It is possible for the more conventional fully comprehensive policy to be reduced if you’re willing to sacrifice some of the cover or pay a higher excess. These deals are available on-line and easily accessible, but why tie yourself to one company? If you search on the internet for a car insurance broker and are specific about your needs, they’ll do the research and come up with the right deal for you.
Older drivers have car insurance problems too. The Government may be considering whether regular eyesight and certain other medical checks should be carried out three yearly. The Association of British Insurers have requested this as they feel that with declining eyesight and age, responses could be slower and therefore older drivers could be more at risk of accidents. Age Concern, a charity representing the elderly, argues against this, believing that fitness to drive should be based on skill, not age.
The Association of British Insurers report that in fact older drivers have more accidents per mile than drivers in middle age and also state that there is a higher likelihood of injury or death resulting from a crash, both for them and other road users.
From the age of 60, car insurance premiums will start to rise as underwriters begin to get wary of taking on new clients. The AA tell us that, as an example, a woman of 21, who pays a premium of £326, will find it reduced to £197 at 60, but by the time she reaches 80 the cost will be £460. There are policies designed to serve the needs of older people, Age Concern, Saga and Help the Aged are just three of them, but again, if you contact an on line broker, they’ll have all the facts and be able to offer help on this.
About the Author:
Scrouge Online are a large uk based finance website offering access to many financial services including car insurance and loans
Read more articles by: Michael Challiner
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
The latest information and news on Car Insurance:
Multi Car Insurance Policies - Lolita Storm (blog)
Multi Car Insurance Policies
Lolita Storm (blog)
Multi car insurance means that you are entitled to a discount if the car is registered to the same address. It doesnt matter if it is a spouses car, ...
Get the reviews of all cars at autodriver.com before buying a new carEarthtimes (press release)
all 3 ...
Farmers to Lower Car Insurance Rates for Some California Policyholders - Insu...
Farmers to Lower Car Insurance Rates for Some California Policyholders
Insurance Rate
Farmers move brings the insurer into compliance with a 2006 state law that altered the way car insurance providers could determine their premiums, ...
Farmers to cut auto insurance rates for some California customersL...
Do you lie to get cheaper car insurance? - This is Money
This is Money
Do you lie to get cheaper car insurance?
This is Money
Car insurance premiums have rocketed by more than 30% over the last year, from £538 to £704, an increase of £166, according to the latest research by AA. ...
and more »
Online Car Insurance Companies offers Free Car Insurance Quotes - Granite Bay...
Online Car Insurance Companies offers Free Car Insurance Quotes
Granite Bay View
Finally we discuss the type of low car insurance For having been the subject of a made temporary drop in traffic Either by moving to another country or ...
Local Company Offers Affordable Car Insurance QuotesLive-PR.com (p...
Ontario car insurance double national average on fraud - CANOE
Ontario car insurance double national average on fraud
CANOE
Consumers in Ontario pay almost double the national average for car insurance because of fraud and abuse, though efforts to ...
RBC warns of rising insurance fraudCTV.ca
all 5 news articles »
auto insurance - Google News
State Auto Financial Reports Second Quarter 2010 Results - MarketWatch (press...
State Auto Financial Reports Second Quarter 2010 Results
MarketWatch (press release)
Additional information on State Auto Financial Corporation and the State Auto Insurance Companies can be found online at www.StateAuto.com. ...
State Auto Financial posts wider-than-expected Q2 lossReuters
Storm Losses ...
Farmers to cut auto insurance rates for some California customers - Los Angel...
Farmers to cut auto insurance rates for some California customers
Los Angeles Times
The move, announced Tuesday, puts the company in compliance with a state law passed in 2006 that changed the way auto insurance providers could calculate ...
Farmers Insurance to cut auto insurance rates in CaliforniaCe...
Federal government or states: Who should be responsible for immigration ... -...
msnbc.com
Federal government or states: Who should be responsible for immigration ...
Wall Street Journal
... are here illegally and they pay little in taxes, do not have vaild drivers licenses and carry no auto insurance so my auto insurance continues to go up. ...
Arizona Law Questions: Racial Profili...
The Progressive Corporation Announces Investor Relations Conference Call - Ma...
The Progressive Corporation Announces Investor Relations Conference Call
MarketWatch (press release)
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies makes it easy to understand, buy, and use auto insurance. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us ...
and more »
Storm claims rain down on Sask. insurers, topping $100M - Vancouver Sun
Nanaimo Daily News
Storm claims rain down on Sask. insurers, topping $100M
Vancouver Sun
The Crown corporation, which operates a general insurance business under the name SGI Canada and also manages the province's compulsory auto insurance plan, ...
Sask. damage claims over $100M following several s...